Remote North East India

This is a holiday that takes you far away from the tourist hot spots of India up to the remote north east. Walk through forested hills to 'living root bridges' created by the Khasi hill tribe over the last few centuries. Spend two days enjoying the scenery and wildlife of Kaziranga National Park. Nature and culture are twin highlights on this wonderful trip which shows you a side of India that most visitors overlook - or don't even know about!

From Delhi you fly to Guwahati in Assam, and then by road to Meghalaya, 'the abode of the clouds'. This state lies between the Assam valley and the plains of Bangladesh and is characterised by verdant hills and mountains where the air is cool and fresh. You stay beside photogenic Umiam Lake with time to relax and explore on foot, taking in the natural beauty of this state.

At Cherrapunjee, billed as the wettest place on Earth, your guide leads you along forest trails to see the amazing living root bridges, unique to this area. The roots of trees on the riverbanks are intertwined to form bridges, some up to 100 metres long, strong enough to support several people at a time. This practice has been perfected by the local Khasi people over the centuries. The bridges can last hundreds of years and are used on a daily basis by local people. You have the chance to see a number of examples including the impressive double decker.

The Khasi people are native to this region and staying at Rosie's Homestay you can ask Rosie to share her experiences of life in Meghalaya and as well as her culinary skills during a cookery class.

Crossing the state border back into Assam, you have two days to enjoy Kaziranga National Park's wildlife and scenery. The one-horned rhino is the undisputed star of the park and this is one of the few places you can expect to see them in large numbers, a real treat. Elephant, water buffalo, four species of deer and giant hornbills are all present, as are tigers (though they're hard to spot here). You could even take a boat on the Brahmaputra River to see birds and Gangetic dolphins.

The accommodation on this unusual and exciting trip varies from a luxury lakeside hotel to a rural, family-run resort, a charming homestay and a rustic yet upmarket wildlife lodge, each rather more than simply a place to stay and adding its own character to this holiday.

We appreciate that some people like to explore new places on their own whilst others feel they gain much more from the experience by having a local guide with them throughout. If you would like to add a guide/tour leader to be with you from Day 2 through to Day 8 this is quoted as a supplement in our pricing details.